Dispensing device



March 8,1927. 2 1,620,178

7 E. OB. WARWHZK ET AL DISPENSING DEVICE Filed July 14. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 8,1927.

E OB. WARWICK ET AL.

DI SPENSI NG DEVICE Filed July 14. 1921' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 8, 1927.

E. O B. WARWICK ET AL DISPENSING DEVICE Filed July 14. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 of Figure 5.

Patented Mar. 3, i927.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

Etna-Non 31 WARWICK AND Roonns M. WARWICK, or medium, FLORI'DA.

DISPENSING nnvxcn.

Application filed July 14,

Our invention relates to dispensing devices, and more particularly to devices for dispei'ising predetermined amounts or units of some substance or material, the predetel-mined amounts or units of the substance or material being contained in or carried by cartons, spools. and thelike.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a dispensing device in which the articles to be dispensed will be arranged in columns and will be visible so that an article from any of the series of columns can be selected and ejected from the device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dispensing device in which these columns of articles to be dispensed are supported in a drum cooperating with an ejecting device, the drum and ejecting device having relative rotative movements whereby the ejecting device and any desired column of articles may be brought into operative association by relative rotation between the drum and the ejecting device.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a dispensing device in which the articles to be dispensed will be disposed end to end in their columns. and in which it is necessary to insert a substantially similar article in one end of the column for ejecting the articles from the otl'ier end oi" the col- These and other features of our invention will be more clearly set forth as the followingdescription progresses. reference being had'to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of a device for dispensingspools oi thread. the device en'ibodying the novel features oi our invention; V

Figure 2is a section taken on line 2 2 of Figure 1," looking in the direction of the arrows; I

Figure 3 is a top pladview otthe device;

Figure 4. is asection taken on line 4. 4r of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a section taken online 5-5 of Figure d I V Figure 6 is asection taken on line 6 6 of Figure 3; and

Figure? is a section taken on line 7-7 Similar characters oi" reference indicate similar parts thronghoutthe several views.

Int-he drawings, we have illustrated a dispensing device embodying the novel tea- Referring to Figures 1 and 2; the reference character 10 designates the frame of our improved dispensing device. The frame 10 comprises a base 11, and top and bottom disks 12 and 13, respectively. The disks 12 and 13 are held in spaced relation by a cylindrical spacing tube l l, and'bolts 15'15, the tube and disks being co-axially disposed. The tube 14 is interposed betweenthe disks 12 and13, a boss 16tormed integrally with the disk 12 and a boss 17 formed integrally with the disk 13 being adapted to tit snugly into the ends of the tube. -Keys 18-18 and the bolts 15' 15 serve to prevent displacement of the several enumerated parts of the frame relative to one another. The under and uppersurfaces respectivelyof the disks 12 and13 are provided with annular grooves 20 and 21 respectively, having their axes co-incident with the axes of the disks 12 and 13 and the tube 14.. The purpose of this construction will presently appear.

Rotatably'journaledupon the tube 1 L is a drum 22 comprising a central hub 23' and annuli 24; and 25, which are arranged to ride in the grooves 20 and 21respectively.

The annuli 24 and 25 are rigidly secured by machine screws 2727 to a plurality of arms:2828formed integrally with the hub 23. The annulus 24 is provided withfla plurality of circular apertures 30 and the annulus 25 is provided with; a like number of circular apertures 3131, each aperture '30 being paired oil and in alignment with an aperture. 31. Each pair of apertures 30 -31 is arranged to receive the ends of a cylindrical tube 32, which is made pre'l'erably of glass so that its contents may be noted atany time; Each aperture 31 base against downward displacement by thespring fingers 36, the free ends of which are bent inwardly to support the spool. We have illustrated and preferably employ spools having frustro-conical surfaces at each end, the smaller diameter of the frust-ro-conical surface being, in each case, the diameter of the end face of the spool. Vi e find this construction advantageous in that the spring fingers need not project below the lower end of the spool yieldingly held by them, so that when the lowermost spool is forced downwardly, will presently appear, the spring fingers are free to engage the succeeding or following spool.

As hereinbefore set forth, means are provided for successively discharging the spools from any one of the containers. The de vice illustrated is designed to discharge the spools from the lower ends of the tubes 32. To permit the spools to be so discharged, the bottom disk 13 of the frame 10 is apertu'red as at 41, and has secured to it a dis charge chute 42. It is apparent that any one of the tubes may be registered with the aperture 11,, thus permitting the op erator to select the tube havin spools wound with the desired thread, or to replace a container that has been emptied of full spools of thread. 7

To secure any one of the tubes in a position in which it registers with the discharge chute 42, a plurality of depressions are formed in the outer cylindrical surface of the annulus 24 (Fig. A ball 14 is arranged to move freely in a bore provided in the top disk 12. The ball lt is urged inwardly by a helical compression spring 46 interposed between the ball and a plug 47 threaded into the outer end of the bore 45. The ball is adapted to enter any one of the depressions l3 l-3, and thereby yieldingly holds the drum 22 in a plurality of angularly adjusted positions relative to its rotary axis, the depressions being arranged to register any one of the several tubes 32--32 with the discl'iarge chute.

' From the foregoing description, it is readily understood that the spools in the tube which has been registered-with the discharge chute may be displaced to cause the lowermost spool to drop out of the tube. To accomplish this displacement, the top disk 12 is provided with a circular aperture 50 coaXially arranged with the aperture 11 in the bottom disk 13. The aperture 50 adapted to permit an empty spool of thread to be forced into the tube registered with the discharge chute 42, thereby forcing a full spool of thread out through the lower end of the tube. V

Manually operable means are provided for forcing the empty spool into the upper end of any one of the several tubes 32, but the means are normally controlled or locked against operation by co-acting means which will permit operation of the manually operable means only when the empty spool has been placed therein. And the empty spool must have the same proportions and conformation as the spools in the several tubes. This is to prevent unauthorized operation of the device.

The aforesaid manually operable means and co-acting means comprise a handle 52 rigidly secured to a shaft 53. The shaft 53 is rotatably journaled in a housing 5 1 rigidly secured to the disk 12 by screws 5555. The housing 54L extends over the aperture 50 which is normally closed by a plate 56 slidably mounted in a depression formed in the upper surface of the disk 12. An empty spool may be passed into the chamber of the housing 5 1 through an opening 57 in the upper wall of the housing. The opening 57 is offset relatively to the aperture 50. A slide 58, disposed in the housing 5 1, is adapted to receive the empty spool and to bring it into alignment with the aperture 50. For this purpose, the slide is provided with a bore 59 in which the spool is placed, and which may be registered with the opening 57 by means of a handle 60 projecting from the slide through a slot 61 formed in the front wall of the housing 54;. The slot 61 is of sufficient length to permit the slide to be displaced from the-position wherein the bore 59 registers with the opening 57 to a position wherein the axis of the bore is coincident with the aXis of the aperture 50. An empty spool inserted into the bore 59 will rest at first against the upper surface of the disk 1.2, but will rest upon the plate 56 when the bore 59 registers with the aperture 50.

In the preferred form of our construction, the bore 59 is of a diameter suflicient to receive empty spools similar to those in the tubes 32, but will reject a spool of larger diameter. Likewise, the length of the bore is just suiiicient to accommodate a spool similar to those in the tube, a spool of greater length serving to prevent operation of the slide as shown in Figure 5. As an additional safeguard against unauthorized operation of the device, each spool is provided preferably with a groove in one of its ends which must be registered with a tongue 64 projecting upwardly from the disk 12. Thus, an empty spool larger than the spools in the tubes 32, 01 one that lacks a groove 65 will not be received in the slide 58.

it a, parent that the plate 56 must be withdrawn from its position closing the aperture 50 before an empty spool properly disposed in the bore 59 can be forced into a tube 32. However, means are provided for locking the plate in this position toinsare that the empty spool is not smaller than the spools in the several tubes. The means comprise a latch 66, adapted to enter a notch genome (57 cdt into one edge of the plate 56. As s'how'ninFigure' 7, the latch unless withdrawn 'ti'om the notch will resist' -any force tending-to move the plate. 56 inadir'ection toward the central. axis of the de'vice'soas to uncover the aperture To withdraw the latch min the notch,- an arm 68 'is'pivota'lly'journaled upon a pin 32) rigidly secured in the slide 58. theai'm (58 being" disposed in a slot 70 formed in the'slide. 'lhdslot 7O'c'on miunicateswith the bore 59. When an empty spool'ot a dial'neter equalto the diameters of the spools contained in the tubes is placed in the bore 59, the arm willbe dis'place'd. This displacement is sui'ii'ci'ent to cause lie'ar'm 68 to engage and withdraw the latch 66 from the notch'of, l1en tl1e empty spool aligned with the aperture 50. The latch (56 is yieldingly urged toward the plate 56 by a helical compression spring'Tl interposed between the latch and a latch c'asing 72, which is rigidly securerlto'the disk 12. A pin 73 projecting from the latch anda slot T l formed in the 'latch casingiil limit the travel of the latch.

The latch ('6 w 'illre-enter the notch '67 when releasecL and is provided with. a can'i surface 75, whichwillpermit the latch to'be longitudinally displaced by the edge or the plate 56 when the plate is moved forwardly,

56'. It" the handle be rotatedinacounter clockwise direction (Fig. 2) the plate 56 will be moved inwardly toward the central-axis o't-the device'thus uncovering the aperture 50. An empty spool disposed in the b'ore fit-twill drop through the aperture and rest upon the uppermostspool contained in the particular tube 32 disposed ben'eaththe aperture 50. To i'or'ce the empty spool downwardly, we provide a hammer Slypivotally journaled upon a pin 82 threaded into a side wall of the housing 5%. Anarn'i' SQ-l'oneeud of which is connected to the shatt 53 1n a manner presently to be described has its free end restingupon the hammer 81: The arm 83 has a hub 8st through which the shaft 53 freely passes. T he hub at is slotted as at 85 to receive a pin 86 projecting from the shaft 82-3. This slot adapted to allow the handle 52 to be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction a sullicient distance to withdraw the plate 56 from its position over the aperlin'e 50, before the pin 86 will reach one end oi the slot 85 and cause the arm 83 to be rotated in a like direction. The reason for this is apparent. Ilowevencoritinued rotation oi" the handlewill cause the arm to move the free end of the hammer 81'downwardly, thus forcing the empty spool into the tube registering with the aperture 5'0. The spools in that tube will all'be forced downwardly, the lowermost spool passing out or the tube against theaction of the spring fingers 3636.

hen the handle 52 isreturned to its-initial position the hammer 8-1 will alsoberestored. to the position in which it rests againstthe arm 83 by a helical spring 88. ()ne end or the spring 88 is secured to'the hammer 81, and the'other end is securedto the housingodby means of a ma'chin'escrew the several tubes may be refilled.-

As shown in Figs. 3and 6, the'disklQis provided with an aperture 92 with which any one of the tubes 32-32 may be registered, the aperture being large enough to permit withdrawal of the't'ub'es 32 32 through it. A closure isprovided for the aperture 92 comprising a lock" 93' having latching members 98 -93, which may be inserted into an annular groove 94 formed in thewall surrounding'the a'1'jerture 92, the

groove 94 communicatingwith the top surface of the duel; 12 by niea'irsof'slots'95 955.

A pin 96 projecting train the lock 93 is.

adapted to enter a hole 97 drilled intotlre dlsl; displacement; oi? the lock iiroper about its axis.- The" latching lingers QT- 93 when placed in the'groo've by way of the'fslots '95, may be displaced by means of the key to prevent WltilCi'liLWZll'Ofttlle look" from its position closing the'aperture 92 The lock -"ill thus prevent unauthorized removal of the tubes from the device, but will permit authorised refillingof the'tubes.

In theoperation of the dcvice,'the operator places a properly proportionedempty spool in the slide 58 and then aligns the spool with the aperture 50 by means of the handle 60. The handle is then rotated in a counterclockwise direction to withdraw the plate 56, and to force the empty spool into any desired tube 32. A full spool of thread will then be discharged from the discharge chute 42.

While we have described the details of our 've' will now describe the meanswher'eb'y This structure prevents angular r lit) i till invention, it is to be understood that our invention is not limited to these details except by the scope or the appended claims.

the containers being disposed parallel with and equidistant from the rotary axis oi the drum, each container having discharge and refilling openings, means adjacent each discharge opening "for yieldingly preventing the spools from passing out through the discharge opening, the frame having an aperture with which any of the refilling openings may be registered, and means for Successively discharging the spools of any one of the containers comprising a housing secured to the frame having an opening through which an empty spool 01' substantially the same size as those in the container may be passed into the housing, but which will reject a'larger spool, a slide mounted in the housing for aligning the spool with the aperture in the frame, a plate slidably mounted in the frame for closing the aperture in the frame, the plate supporting the empty spool when the spool is aligned with that aperture, a latch member for locking the plate against displacement, an arm pivotally journaled in the slide, the arm cooperating with an empty spool positioned by the slide, it the spool is of substantially the same size as the spool in the container, to unlock the latch member from the plate, means for withdrawing the plate from beneath the empty spool, and means for forcing the spool into the container positioned below the aperture in the frame.

2. A dispensing device comprising a support, a drum rotatably journaled on said support, a plurality of vertically extending containers carried by the drum, said containers being disposed circumferentially around said drum, each container having discharge and refilling openings and comprising a transparent face whereby the articles in said container may be viewed, means adjacent each discharge opening for yieldingly preventing the articles from passing out through the discharge opening, said support having an aperture with which any of the refilling openings may be registered, a slide co-operating with said aperture, said slide being adapted to receive an article and carry the same to said aperture, means for actuating said slide, and article ejecting means adapted to apply pressure to the article conducted to said aperture by said slide for exerting endwise pressure on the series of articles in the container then associated with said aperture.

3. A dispensing device comprising a frame, a drum rotatably journaled in the frame, a plurality of containers carried by the drum, each container having discharge and refilling openings, means adjacent each discharge opening for yieldingly preventing the articles from passing out through the discharge opening, said frame having an aperture therein with which any of the refilling openings may be registered, a blocking member for preventing the insertion of one of the articles through said aperture, n'ieans for withdrawing said blocking meniber, a latch for holding said blocking'member against movement, and a measuring member adapted to engage the article to be inserted in the container, said measuring member measuring the size of the article and releasing said latching member if said article is of proper size, and means for ejecting the articles from said containers.

l. A dispensing device comprising a frame, a drum rotatably journaled on said tame, a plurality of containers carried at circumferential points on said frame, each container having discharge and refilling openings, said frame having an aperture with which any of the refilling openings may be registered, a blocking member normally closing said aperture, a latch for holding said blocking member against releasing movement, a slide adapted to receive the article to be inserted in said containers, means for actuating said slide to bring said article in alignment with said aperture, a measuring member adapted to contact with the article and releasing said latch if the article is of predetermined size. and means for forcing said article into the container then aligned with said aperture.

In witness whercot, we hereunto subscribe our names this (5th day oi July, 1921.

ELEANOR OB. lVA JVICK. ROGERS lVAlllVIClQ 

